Finance Minister Meets Senior Officials from Financial and International Institutions
The Kuwaiti Finance Minister met with his Egyptian counterparts and World Bank officials in Bangkok to enhance economic and investment cooperation.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
As part of the State of Kuwait’s participation in the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, held in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand, from October 12 to 18, 2026, Minister of Finance Dr. Yaqoob Al-Sayed Yousef Al-Rafai met with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad Dr. Badr Abdelatty, and Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Ahmed Rustom, along with their accompanying delegation. The meeting was attended by Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Dr. Meshal Al-Mansour, and several officials from the Ministry of Finance.
During the meeting, the deep historical and fraternal ties between Kuwait and Egypt were reaffirmed, alongside both sides’ commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in economic, financial, and investment fields, exploring new investment opportunities, and addressing challenges facing Kuwaiti investments in Egypt. The importance of the work of the Kuwait-Egypt Joint High Commission in advancing bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, and investment sectors was also discussed, with its next session scheduled for November.
Dr. Al-Rafai also met with Abdulaziz Al-Mulla, Managing Director of the World Bank Group, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between Kuwait and the World Bank in training and capacity building for civil service personnel, as well as improving their efficiency. The meeting emphasized the importance of increasing the representation of national staff within the World Bank Group and deepening the utilization of the World Bank’s local office in Kuwait.
Additionally, Dr. Al-Rafai met with Emad Fakharany, Regional Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The discussion focused on strengthening existing cooperation between Kuwait and the IFC, and reviewing opportunities to expand partnership in areas supporting economic diversification, stimulating investment, and enhancing the role of the private sector in economic activity, in line with Kuwait’s development goals and economic vision.
The meeting addressed the World Bank Group’s efforts to mobilize private capital, support small and medium-sized enterprises, and leverage digital technologies and artificial intelligence to boost economic growth opportunities. On his part, the Minister stressed the importance of enhancing opportunities for national talent to participate in international financial institutions and providing more professional and training opportunities for Kuwaiti youth.
